Reader questions: Cops

November 3, 2013 6:14 PM

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Q: Don't police always patrol in pairs?
A: Not always.
The majority of patrol officers ride in patrol cars by themselves, Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel said.
"There is no way to give it a tally because that number can change on a day to day basis," he said.
Some officers consistently patrol together. Gang Unit detectives work as a group, as do ACT officers. Bike officers also patrol together. less

Q: Don't police always patrol in pairs?
A: Not always.
The majority of patrol officers ride in patrol cars by themselves, Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel said.
"There is no way to give it a tally ... more

Q: Can Seattle police officers smoke in uniform? I saw one smoking a big fat cigar in uniform, and it just looked out of place.
A: They can smoke in uniform and on duty, department spokesman Jeff Kappel said.
However, seeing an officer smoke isn’t an especially common sight in part because of where we live. Washington state’s adult smoking rate is the third lowest in the nation at 14.8 percent, according to the Public Health – Seattle & King County.
Sometimes officers smoke cigars and to mask the smell of a crime scene.
According to the latest public health data available, more men than women smoke in King County and most of them are between ages 18 and 24.
That data shows that in 2009, 11 percent of adults in King County smoked (about 164,000 people). less

Q: Can Seattle police officers smoke in uniform? I saw one smoking a big fat cigar in uniform, and it just looked out of place.
A: They can smoke in uniform and on duty, department spokesman Jeff Kappel said. ... more

Q: Do medics and cops get bridges to wait for them?
Say there's a pursuit or a patient being transported after a shooting - do authorities call to get the bridge to wait for them?
A: It's possible, but not common, Seattle police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said.
"Its no different than a train crossing the tracks," he said. "We're subject to it and let people to know to take alternate routes.
"We will make every attempt to find alternate routes if bridges are up. We might communicate that to each other over the radio."
Whitcomb wasn't aware of a time when bridge operators held one open during a major pursuit, though he said it's possible police could request that. less

Q: Do medics and cops get bridges to wait for them?
Say there's a pursuit or a patient being transported after a shooting - do authorities call to get the bridge to wait for them?
A: It's possible, but not ... more

Photo: Seattlepi.com File Photo

Q: Do medics and cops get bridges to wait for them?
Say... Photo-5411708.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Is it legal for a police cruiser to speed through a residential area with no lights and no sirens?
The other night around 6 p.m. I was outside and witnessed a police officer obviously speeding down my residential street. No lights. No sirens. And I live on a street with a school and where children are playing.
A: The answer comes from King County Sheriff John Urquhart, who was a sergeant at the time this question was asked:
State law governs emergency vehicle operations (fire, police and ambulances), specifically RCW 46.61.035. The statute allows those vehicles to do certain things other cars cannot, including "Exceeding the maximum speed limits so long as it does not endanger life or property".
The law goes on to state this exemption is only valid when the vehicle is "making use of emergency signals…".
Bottom line: Police cars that are exceeding the speed limit, must have at least emergency lights operating. less

Q: Is it legal for a police cruiser to speed through a residential area with no lights and no sirens?
The other night around 6 p.m. I was outside and witnessed a police officer obviously speeding down my ... more

Photo: Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com File

Q: Is it legal for a police cruiser to speed through a residential... Photo-5411709.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Next comes a similar question with a more nuanced answer.
Q: How can police drive over the speed limit even though they don't have their sirens turned on and it does not seem like an emergency? Do they have different set of traffic laws regarding speeding? If I witness possible speed violation by police vehicle, can or should I report it?
A: Police aren't required to use their emergency lights when responding to a crime, Seattle Police spokeswoman Renee Witt said.
"It's a matter of judgment," she said, adding that in some cases it's safer for those involved not to come with lights and sirens.
If people have serious concerns, they can contact the police precincts, Witt said, adding it helps to have the patrol car number. The Office of Professional Accountability is the office within the Seattle Police Department that receives and investigates complaints about police misconduct. That office number is 206-615-1566. less

Next comes a similar question with a more nuanced answer.
Q: How can police drive over the speed limit even though they don't have their sirens turned on and it does not seem like an emergency? Do they have ... more

Photo: Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com File Photo

Next comes a similar question with a more nuanced answer.
Q: How... Photo-5411710.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Can parking enforcement officers give tickets for non-parking offenses?
A: No.
"Parking enforcement officers can only do parking-related enforcement," Police Department spokesman Jeff Kappel said. "It takes a police officer to write the ticket for jaywalking."
They can, however, be a witness and call police when they see a crime. Other citizens also can be a witness for a crime in progress.
Parking enforcement officers are uniformed civilian Police Department employees and are responsible for enforcing all Seattle parking regulations and parking violations on city property, according to the city's Web site. Parking officers also cite abandoned cars and help police in identifying stolen vehicles.
During special events or incidents, such as Seafair parades, Seahawks and Mariners games, accident scenes and emergencies, the parking officers provide traffic control, according to the site.
The position was created in 1957 as part of the City Treasurer's Office. Officers became assigned to the Police Department in 1972 and had the name changed from parking meter checkers to parking enforcement officers the following year, according to the department. less

Q: Can people legally videotape or photograph on-duty Seattle police officers?
A: Yes.
People won't be stopped "as long as it doesn't interfere with carrying on with their duties," department spokesman Jeff Kappel said.
In some cases, people might be asked to step back or give officers room, Kappel said.
That was the case August 30, 2010 when a cameraman got too close to an arrest that occurred after the fatal officer-involved shooting of John T. Williams.
In 2008, the city of Seattle paid $8,000 to a photographer who was wrongfully arrested the previous year after he snapped two pictures of police officers arresting another man downtown. less

Q: Can people legally videotape or photograph on-duty Seattle police officers?
A: Yes.
People won't be stopped "as long as it doesn't interfere with carrying on with their duties," department spokesman Jeff ... more

Q: I think I would be a good cop. But I've smoked pot. Will I be disqualified if I apply in Seattle?
A: Each applicant is reviewed individually. But here are some of the selection standards set by Seattle police:
-Applicants must have not used marijuana in the past 12 months. This has changed since we first answered this question in 2009, when applicants must not have smoked pot in the past three years.
-Applicants must have not used four or more controlled substances in the past ten years.
-Applicants must have not used any illegal drugs while employed in a criminal justice and/or law enforcement capacity. They also must have not manufactured or cultivated illegal drugs for the purpose of selling or marketing the drugs.
Disqualifying offenses include any adult felony conviction and any misdemeanor or felony conviction while employed in a criminal justice or law enforcement capacity.
Any domestic violence conviction also disqualifies Seattle applicants. less

Q: I think I would be a good cop. But I've smoked pot. Will I be disqualified if I apply in Seattle?
A: Each applicant is reviewed individually. But here are some of the selection standards set by Seattle ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, SEATTLEPI.COM

Q: I think I would be a good cop. But I've smoked pot. Will I... Photo-5411715.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Is it legal for police to ride in the carpool lane when they are by themselves and not displaying any emergency lights?
A: The answer comes from State Patrol Trooper Christina Martin:
Yes it is legal. Emergency vehicles are allowed in the carpool regardless of the time of day.
Police officers are routinely on patrol. If police officers are sitting in traffic, they are not actively patrolling.
A police officer that travels behind the same vehicle in a line of traffic rather than in the carpool lane where the officer can scan multiple vehicle' for traffic violations is not making the most of his/her time on the road. less

Q: Is it legal for police to ride in the carpool lane when they are by themselves and not displaying any emergency lights?
A: The answer comes from State Patrol Trooper Christina Martin:
Yes it is legal. ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, Seattlepi.com File Photo

Q: Is it legal for police to ride in the carpool lane when they are... Photo-5411716.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Do undercover cops have to identify themselves if you ask?
A: No.
A common misconception is that people can identify an undercover officer by asking if they’re a cop. The officers can legally say no.
This happened in 2009 when the Seattle police Vice Unit conducted a prostitution sting near the West Precinct. Officers were wearing plain clothes and driving regular vehicles.
In at least two of the incidents, the alleged prostitutes asked an undercover officer if he was a cop. The officer said no. They agreed to a sex act for $40 and were arrested. One of those was found to have a Department of Corrections warrant for escape.
“How could you possibly do undercover work if you didn’t lie under certain circumstances?” police spokesman Jeff Kappel said, adding officers also lie in some scenarios to protect officer safety.
In some undercover operations, officers pose as utility workers, mail carriers or package delivery people. Police also lie in some interrogation scenarios and can do so legally.
But officers can’t lie to get you to commit a crime you wouldn’t otherwise commit. That’s entrapment, spelled out in the Seattle Municipal Code. less

Q: Do undercover cops have to identify themselves if you ask?
A: No.
A common misconception is that people can identify an undercover officer by asking if they’re a cop. The officers can legally say no. ... more

Q: Do undercover cops have to identify themselves if you ask?
A:... Photo-5411717.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Can an off duty officer in an unmarked vehicle pull you over and issue a ticket?
A: "Yes they can," Seattle police spokeswoman Renee Witt said.
"It actually doesn't happen often, but sometimes you see violations that are pretty egregious, that could be potentially dangerous, and you have to act."
But officers in some jurisdictions are told that unless they see a life-threatening situation while off duty, they shouldn't get involved.
"Authorization to take enforcement action when off duty comes from individual department policy," Bellevue police spokesman Greg Grannis said. "If the officer's department authorizes them to issue citations for traffic infractions observed off-duty, they may do so."
In his nearly eight years a Bellevue officer, Grannis has only stopped two people while off duty. The first person was a drunken driver; the other was a woman who appeared to be drunk heading toward the freeway. Turns out she was weaving across traffic lanes because she was changing shoes while driving.
"Generally we discourage it," Grannis said of off-duty stops. "If someone is truly off-duty, they might not be wearing body armor. If the contact goes south, they might not have all the equipment they need for protection.
"(The crime witnessed) needs to be something that's potentially life-threatening, and it has to be worth the risk to them to stop the crime." less

Q: Can an off duty officer in an unmarked vehicle pull you over and issue a ticket?
A: "Yes they can," Seattle police spokeswoman Renee Witt said.
"It actually doesn't happen often, but sometimes you see ... more

Photo: Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com File Photo

Q: Can an off duty officer in an unmarked vehicle pull you over and... Photo-5411718.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Every construction site in this city has a uniformed SPD officer standing around. Do the construction companies pay for that officer's presence or do the taxpayers pick up the tab?
A: "Typically it's an off-duty job," Seattle police officer Mark Jamieson said. "Usually a construction company or other businesses will pay to have an officer work there directing traffic and things like that."
Seattle police work with Seattle Security Inc., a company that specializes in providing state-certified, off-duty Seattle officers to private citizens and businesses in the greater Seattle area. less

Q: Every construction site in this city has a uniformed SPD officer standing around. Do the construction companies pay for that officer's presence or do the taxpayers pick up the tab?
A: "Typically it's an ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO

Q: Every construction site in this city has a uniformed SPD officer... Photo-5411719.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Why are police officers allowed to drive their cruisers to and from their homes, sometimes more than 30 miles out of their jurisdictions? Taxpayers are paying for the fuel, after all.
A: "Most people who are troopers live within their beats, and there's a chance we could get called out for an emergency," State Patrol trooper Curt Boyle said.
He also said when one person uses the car it typically gets 125,000 miles before needing repairs. Cars being used 24 hours a day by multiple officers typically last for 60,000 miles before major repairs are needed.
Bellevue police officer Greg Grannis added that not everyone takes home cars. But for those who do, he said, it's a great retention tool to keep officers who might switch to another agency, saving training dollars. less

Q: Why are police officers allowed to drive their cruisers to and from their homes, sometimes more than 30 miles out of their jurisdictions? Taxpayers are paying for the fuel, after all.
A: "Most people who ... more

Q: Are cops required to be armed when off duty?
A: Not in Seattle.
Seattle police can carry a firearm and get some exemptions that people who are not sworn officer do not get, such as being able to carry a gun into a bar.
But there are no circumstances where off-duty officers are required to carry a firearm, department spokesman Jeff Kappel said. Officers can carry their firearm at their discretion. less

Q: Are cops required to be armed when off duty?
A: Not in Seattle.
Seattle police can carry a firearm and get some exemptions that people who are not sworn officer do not get, such as being able to carry a ... more

Photo: LINDSEY WASSON, Seattlepi.com File Photo

Q: Are cops required to be armed when off duty?
A: Not in... Photo-5411721.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Are Seattle police armed with hollow-point bullets?
Recently, the Seattle Municipal Archives posted historical audio on their website. One of the Seattle Voices segment is from a November 1974 City Council meeting where citizens protested Police Chief Robert Hanson's change to hollow point bullets.
That made me wonder if they're still used?
A: The one word answer came from police spokesman Sgt. Sean Whitcomb:
"Yes." less

Q: Are Seattle police armed with hollow-point bullets?
Recently, the Seattle Municipal Archives posted historical audio on their website. One of the Seattle Voices segment is from a November 1974 City Council ... more

Q: Is it legal for an off-duty officer to bring a concealed weapon into a drinking establishment?
If it is legal, is it still legal if they have anything to drink?
A: This question comes after an off-duty Seattle officer was accused of misconduct following a 2011 incident that happened near closing time outside a Ballard bar.
The officer, Garth Haynes, has been reassigned, and the Police Department's Office of Professional Accountability has referred the matter for a internal criminal investigation.
Washington state law prohibits weapons such as firearms in portions of an establishment classified by the State Liquor Control Board as off-limits to persons under 21 years of age. This applies to taverns, nightclubs and restaurant lounges.
But law enforcement officers get an exemption, Liquor Control Board spokeswoman Anne Radford said.
Seattle police spokesman Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said there’s no specific policy about an off-duty officer carrying a gun into a bar.
“We ask officers to exercise their discretion and good judgment in such matters,” he said.
There have been allegations Haynes had been drinking before the incident at BalMar Bar and Lounge. Whitcomb said he honestly didn’t know if that was the case.
The man Haynes hit with his foot and others involved in the incident have been charged with assault in the Ballard police case, and Haynes 911 call is expected to be made public as part of the court case. Seattle police have not released it. less

Q: Is it legal for an off-duty officer to bring a concealed weapon into a drinking establishment?
If it is legal, is it still legal if they have anything to drink?
A: This question comes after an off-duty ... more

Photo: JORDAN STEAD, SEATTLEPI.COM

Q: Is it legal for an off-duty officer to bring a concealed weapon... Photo-5411723.73336 - seattlepi.com

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Q: Is there a police museum in Seattle? Is it part of the Museum of History and Industry?
A: There is a police museum, but it’s not affiliated with the Museum of History and Industry.
The Seattle Metropolitan Police Museum is located at 317 Third Ave. S. in Pioneer Square. It’s open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and costs $3 for adults and $1 for children under 12. less

Q: Is there a police museum in Seattle? Is it part of the Museum of History and Industry?
A: There is a police museum, but it’s not affiliated with the Museum of History and Industry.
The Seattle ... more

Photo: Seattlepi.com File/Seattle Police Department

Q: Is there a police museum in Seattle? Is it part of the Museum of... Photo-5411724.73336 - seattlepi.com